Parish Mission Statement
St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish is a Catholic community,
called to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and we welcome
all to join us. We fulfill this Call by our worship of
God, our witness to one another and to the world, and by
our service to all those in need. Our goal is to affirm
the individual gifts in people of all ages so that they
may continue to grow in their faith and be ministers of
the Gospel...One with God and one another.
Announcements
Summer Mass Schedule begins
April 21 and 22, 2012
Monday – Friday
8:00am
Saturday Vigil
English 4:30pm
Saturday Vigil
Spanish 6:30pm
Sunday English
7:30am
Sunday English
9:30am
Sunday English
11:30am
Sunday English
5:00pm
Confessions on
Saturday 3:30 to 4:15pm and by appointment.
Pastor's
Message
6th Sunday of Easter
May 13, 2012
In today’s gospel passage from St. John, Jesus gives us comforting words to live by: “I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” Our relationship to Jesus is one of friendship, as a brother, as a savior, as the messiah, and as our God. He is a teacher, a consoler and a healer. He is alive yesterday, today and forever. He is our center, he is our light, he is our conscience, and he is our faith.
But how do we make contact with Jesus? How do we communicate with him? How much effort do we put into the relationship? Is he like the best friend who we talk with everyday, once a week, or once a year? Is he the relative whom we only see on special occasions? Is he only our savior when we are in trouble? Or is he our God and messiah when it is convenient?
Jesus calls us friends. He has already established the relationship. It is up to each one of us to respond to the gift of friendship. To be a good friend means to be compassionate, caring and to suffer and celebrate with our friends. May we strive to be the best friend of Jesus and may our friendship extend to one another.
A Blessed Mother’s Day
Today we celebrate all moms. They have given their lives and their love and have been the example of compassion, trust and strength throughout our lives. We also remember those mothers who have lost a child through death, we pray that their faith will continue to give them hope and that they will be reunited in heaven one day.
We celebrate the mothers who have died and we pray that God may bring them into the joy of his kingdom. May we, the daughters and sons, always honor our mothers with profound respect.
This weekend after Communion, the priest will be giving each mother a carnation.
God bless all mother’s on this day and everyday.
Father Rafael
SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING
As part of the Safe Environment Program, the Diocese of Venice requires that all employees and those volunteers who work with children and/or vulnerable adults be fingerprinted and trained in Safe Environment. For further information, visit the Diocesan website at www.dioceseofvenice.org. Report all abuses to the Florida Department of Children and Families at 800-962-2873. To report abuse by Diocesan personnel or volunteers, call the Diocesan Victims Assistance Coordinator, Barbara DiCocco at 941-416-6114.
RESPECT LIFE
Novena of Masses
for Life - There will be Masses throughout the Diocese on
the 25th of every month through December 2012 which are
offered for a greater respect for all human life. This
means 205 Masses will be celebrated throughout the year.
16 parishes will have a complete novena. If your parish
does not have a Novena Mass for Life on April 25, check
the complete schedule at www.dioceseofvenice.org/novenamasses.php for a
participating parish near you. Celebrate the life of Jesus
in the womb of our Blessed Mother.
Mustard Seed April 5,
2012
ONLINE GIVING
St. Max is offering parishioners the opportunity to take advantage of secure and convenient on-line giving for their offerings. “ACH Direct Payment” is easy and takes only a few minutes to sign up. A one-page form with your information, signature, and a voided check is all you need to get started. You specify the amount you desire to have withdrawn from your checking or savings account on a monthly basis. Your offering will be automatically deducted from your account and transferred into the St. Max account. You may stop on-line giving at anytime as long as we have your written authorization to do so. Stop by the Parish Office to pick up a form. For more information call the Parish Office
SERVANTS OF THE SPIRIT PRAYER GROUPJoin our prayer
group every Wednesday in the Parish Center at 6:30pm. All
are welcome to an evening of praise, music and prayer.
PROJECT RACHEL'S SPANISH
OUTREACH
Project Rachel Ministry is dedicated to helping women heal
spiritually after having an abortion. God's mercy is
without limit and his forgiveness is great. If you or
someone you know calls Project Rachel at the following
number 941-681-6837, you will be assisted in Spanish and
you will be given the name and number of a Roman Catholic
Priest in your area who is trained for spiritual direction
and will offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation to you.
Your call is always confidential. Be healed by Jesus
Christ who offers hope through the resurrection. Be healed
by forgiveness.
EL PROYECTO RAQUEL
El Proyecto Raquel es un Ministerio que se
dedica a ayudar a las mujeres a sanar espiritualmente
despues de un aborto. La misericordia de Dios no tiene
límites y su perdón es grande. Si usted o
alguien que conoce llama al Proyecto Raquel al
número 941-681-6837, será atendido/a en
Español y se le dará el nombre y
número de un sacerdote católico en su area
que está capacitado para la dirección
espiritual y le ofrecerá el Sacramento de la
Reconciliación. Su llamada es siempre confidencial.
Se sanado/a por Jesucristo, que ofrece esperanza a traves
de la resurrección. Cúrate por el
perdón.
CONSCIENCE
PROTECTION
Key things you need to know about the HHS
Mandate - The United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops offers six facts regarding the Health
and Human Services regulations on mandatory coverage of
contraceptives, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs.
Below are the first two facts.
1. The mandate does not exempt Catholic charities, schools, universities, or hospitals. These institutions are vital to the mission of the Church, but HHS does not deem them "religious employers" worthy of conscience protection, because they do not "serve primarily persons who share the religious tenets." HHS denies these organizations religious freedom precisely because their purpose is to serve the common good of society-a purpose that government should encourage, not punish.
2. The mandate
forces these institutions and others, against their
conscience, to pay for things they consider immoral. Under
the mandate, the government forces religious insurers to
write policies that violate their beliefs; forces
religious employers and schools to sponsor and subsidize
coverage that violates their beliefs; and forces religious
employees and students to purchase coverage that violates
their beliefs.
Additional information and resources on the U.S. Catholic Bishops' stance on religious liberty, conscience protection and the HHS ruling regarding mandatory coverage of contraceptives, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs is available at
http://www.usccb.org/conscienceFAMILY MASS
Come! Come! Come to St. Max! On January 8, 2012, St. Maximilian Kolbe will introduce the Family Mass at the 10:15am Mass. The Welcomer, Lectors, Hospitality, Altar Servers and Choir will involve the youth of our parish from all families here at St. Max. The first Sunday of each month at the 10:15 am Mass will be designated the Family Mass, where children and their families will be involved in the Mass. If your child is interested, please contact Cindy K. at 743-6877 or cindyrk@stmaxcatholic.org.
THE CHARISMATIC MASSWe hope you join us where the Holy Spirit is alive and on fire within our hearts and souls! The Charismatic Mass is celebrated the first Wednesday of every month at 6:45 p.m. following Benediction. Everyone is invited to the Holy Eucharist. This Mass is in English and Spanish.
A PRAYER FOR PRIESTS SERVING IN THE DIOCESE
O
Jesus, Eternal High Priest,
live in the priests serving in the Diocese of Venice,
act in them, speak in and through them.
Think
your thoughts in their minds, love through their hearts.
Give them your own disposition and feelings.
Teach, lead and guide them always. Correct,
enlighten and expand their thoughts and behavior.
Possess their souls, take over their lives.
Replace them with yourself.
Incline them to constant adoration and thanksgiving;
pray in and through them.
Let them live in you and keep them in this intimate
union always.
O
Mary, Immaculate Conception,
Mother of Jesus and Mother of priests,
pray and intercede for them.
Amen
"SERVANTS OF THE SPIRIT" PRAYER GROUP
Come and join this spirit-filled prayer meeting in English
every Wednesday evening at 6:30pm in the Parish Center. The
Holy Spirit is calling you to join. Call Joan and Harold
Meeks at 941-743-3929 or Ana Romillo at 941-626-5046 if you
have questions.
The Prayer Group in Spanish meets at the same time in Room
106 / El Grupo de Oracion en Español se reune a la
misma hora en el salon 106.
ST MAX GIFT SHOP, Please visit, shop and enjoy...
Remember, the gift
shop is a great way to share our stewardship of treasure,
because each donation goes to the parish Catholic Faith
Appeal assessment. Stop in after Mass on the weekend
or during the week through the parish office.
Beginning the weekend of Mass cards/Mass Intentions
will be available in the Gift Shop.
The gift shop is celebrating one year!
PRAYER FOR EMPLOYMENT
God, our Father, I turn to you seeking your divine help and guidance as I look for suitable employment. I need your wisdom to guide my footsteps along the right path, and to lead me to find the proper things to say and do in this quest. I wish to use the gifts and talents you have given me, but I need the opportunity to do so with gainful employment. Do not abandon me, dear Father, in this search, but rather grant me this favor I seek so that I may return to you with praise and thanksgiving for your gracious assistance. Grant this through Christ, our Lord. Amen
BEREAVEMENT(Grief Support)
This ministry provides support to those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Volunteers are needed to assist the coordinators with the planned grief sessions for seven weeks twice a year. For more information or to apply, call the parish office (743-6877).
MASS INTENTION
If you would like to reserve a Mass Intention, you may do so in the gift shop on weekends and in the parish office during office hours; $15 for Mass Cards.
SANCTUARY CANDLE
If you would like to reserve one of the two Sanctuary
Candles
in memory of someone, please come to the parish office or
you may do so in the gift shop on weekends.
Parishioners consider volunteering
How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me? Psalm 116The parish is blessed to have many volunteers supporting
its many ministries and/or organizations with their time,
talent, and treasure. We encourage our parishioners to
consider volunteering with the parish because there is
always a need for more assistance. However, in order to
become a volunteer with the parish, there are diocesan
requirements that must be fulfilled. All volunteers must
complete required paperwork, attend one Safe Environment
workshop and receive proper training. Volunteers applying
for a position with children and vulnerable adults such as
Faith Formation, Homebound Eucharistic Minister, and
Children's Choir, etc. must be fingerprinted.
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
What can help
you have peace of mind in your senior years? Ensuring
that you have health care surrogacy, a living will,
durable power of attorney and a will or trust will
give you that needed peace of mind. We would be
pleased to help you. All of our services are free and
without obligation. For more information call Joseph
Citro, Executive Director, Catholic Community
Foundation, at 941-441-1124.
Proceeds to benefit the CFA/St. Max Parish
Drawings on the following dates after 5:00 pm Mass:
May 20, 2012
One
winner drawn each month on dates listed from all ticket
entries. Do not need to be present to win. $ 5.00 per
ticket, 6 for $ 25.00. Tickets can be purchased in the
parish office and in the gift shop.
REMEMBER
ST. MAX IN YOUR WILL -Have
you thought about leaving a gift for the Church in your
will? Your gift by way of bequest ensures that our Church
will continue Christ’s saving work in the world.